Guilty
by ITeraPrince
Summary: After everything you have done for them, eventually they will hate you. An individual is responsible for an unspeakable crime, but who is truly guilty?


Guilty

The thunder roared above them, the pouring rain came down on their already soaked clothing and hair. They looked on at the streets below as if not a care in the world if they come down with a cold or some sort of sickness from taking in so much rain water. Hermione's expression stood strong against the soft breeze, her eyes narrowed as she spoke "I must find who killed my father… that's the only way I can find peace."

Her words hit Harry hard knowing quite well that Hermione wasn't coping well with the death of her father. Mr. Granger was found dead by his car on a cold rainy night like this one just a week ago, so the wounds were still fresh. Harry looked onto her and could see circles and bags below her eyes, he broke his silence posing his concern "You haven't been sleeping well have you?"

Hermione gave him a stern look as if it was pretty obvious she hadn't been sleeping well, but when she saw his reaction her expression softened a bit realizing he just meant well. "Of course I haven't… Harry, my father's killer is still out there. Free to do whatever except accept the justice he surely deserves." Her words again emphasized how much she was hurting, each word spat out in anger and frustration only to hide the emotional bleeding she felt on the inside "He'll get what's coming to him, that I can promise you Hermione."

"He definitely will, I don't care if my knuckles bleed or I break something… the person who killed my defenseless father doesn't deserve to live." She punched the bricks on the side of the rooftop she was just leaning on, Harry reached for her hand not wanting her to hurt herself "Mione…" his voice came out more sad than concerned. She was hurting and there was nothing he could do to help her, nothing that he was willing to do at that moment "That monster attacked my father when he was getting into his car, he was defenseless… defenseless Harry! And he still killed him! What a monster…"

The growl she set lose after saying the word monster with so much hate and anger threw daggers at Harry's heart. He lowered his head looking into his hands that were shaking uncontrollably "His blood is forever tainted." Hermione kept her eyes forward at her father's old office envisioning him alive and well walking out of the front doors "With the blood of an innocent man… who… didn't deserve to die that day."

Harry couldn't tell if she was crying or not because of the heavy downpour but she might as well have, he walked over closer and put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her "I know, Mione…" his eyes found the ground fighting his own thoughts and desires. He was so lost in his thoughts that it took Hermione's voice to bring him back to reality again "Draco…"

The name came out of the blue but Hermione sounded more crossed that she has ever been "What about him?" Harry asked cautiously. She bit her lip before shaking her head in frustration "You saw him walking through that alleyway acting all shady the night my father died, I brushed it off as nothing at that moment but it has to mean something…?"

"Like what exactly?" Hermione turned to him finally, her eyes pouring with a plea "Like he did it… Draco Malfoy killed my father." Her expression resembled a child, so lost and angry at the same time… Harry lifted his hand up to her cheek to comfort her a bit "Hermione, you're not thinking straight…" he spoke knowing quite well that emotions can cloud proper judgement, Hermione quickly moved her head away from her hand and seemed to snap at him "To hell I am! The coward ran from the crime scene and Draco didn't appear at the ministry until a few days after the murder… it's him I feel it in my bones."

Harry could feel his chest tighten and his hands get hot, taking a step forward Harry replied "You're just looking for someone to blame because you're angry…" he saw a brief hint of shock in her eyes as if she couldn't believe Harry was defending Draco Malfoy. "After all that he's done, how can he not be a killer? His father was a death eater! And so was his mother! The Malfoys served Voldemort, Harry!" she called out in pure emotion, not thinking rationally at all.

He exhaled and swallowed a huge lump in throat as he plucked up all the courage he could muster resulting in yelling back at her "I know! But Draco is not the killer…" Hermione blinked rapidly at him having not expected his reaction "Harry, you're… what are you talking about?" Harry clenched his fists and allowed his nails to dig into his palm as he spoke the words he has been hiding… they burned all the way up his chest to his mouth "I killed your father… it was me."

"Harry… this isn't funny…" she said in so much disbelief that her best friend, Harry Potter would ever do anything to hurt her father. But the sad truth was revealed, he did and now he was confessing it to the one person he never wanted to hurt "Hermione… I wish I was lying… but I'm not… I killed your father… I'm the monster." he spoke slowly with so much disgust towards himself for the horrible act. His eyes only saw their feet as he couldn't bring himself to see her face, emotions flood him and he couldn't face her now… now that she knows.

Harry rushed past her and down the rooftop steps down to the street, not turning back even for a second. He was guilty and he had just confessed to it, he quickened his pace across the street and through a few blocks until he heard the familiar sound of sirens. Hermione stood frozen in her place, her eyes bloodshot red with many tears pouring down her face, a moment later her hands found her eyes covering them as she sobbed uncontrollably.


End file.
